The invention disclosed herein relates generally to polyhedrally shaped collapsible hollow three-dimensional structures made of folding board, sometimes referred to as paperboard, or a like sheet material, and in particular to such structures each of which, when in its expanded three-dimensional state, is suitable for display as an ornament either per se or in conjunction with a photograph or an ornamental card releasably attached to an exterior face of the structure, and each of which can be collapsed, either per se or with a photograph or card attached thereto, into a flat essentially two-dimensional state.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,418, (the '418 patent) which was issued to the present inventor on the basis of the aforesaid prior application and the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses collapsible ornamental structures having fully enclosed hollow interiors. The collapsible ornamental hollow structures are made from a blank cut from a single sheet of folding board or paperboard or similar material, folded and bonded, and encircled by elastic bands. The collapsible ornamental structures remain in a collapsed state as long as restraining pressure is applied to them in a direction substantially perpendicular to their faces, but automatically deploy or expand by reason of the encircling elastic band when such restraining pressure is removed.
An example of the collapsible ornamental hollow structures disclosed in the '418 patent is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings of the present application. Blank 1 of the collapsible ornamental structure is, as shown in FIG. 1, generally cruciform (Greek cross-like) in configuration and at the juncture region of its perpendicularly intersecting bar-shaped portions 1' and 1" comprises a central square 7 having scores or fold lines 9, 11, 13, and 15 defining its sides (scores being indicated in the drawings by broken lines and cuts by solid lines). Blank 1 in the opposite end regions of its horizontal bar 1' also comprises a first polygon 25 and a third polygon 27 adjoining the diagonally opposite horizontal corner regions of the central square 7. Each of first polygon 25 and third polygon 27 includes an outer square 43 or 43' having a first side 45 or 45' hinged to colinear legs 33 and 35 or 33' and 35' of right triangles 29 and 31 or 29' and 31' and a score 47 or 47' coincident with its median perpendicular to said first side 45 or 45'. Each outer square 43 or 43' also has oblique scores 49, 51, 53 and 55 or 49', 51', 53' and 55', each of which joins the midpoints of two adjacent sides of the respective outer square. Scores 51 and 53 or 51' and 53' form with parts of the outer sides of each outer square 43 or 43' respective pairs of right triangles 50 and 52 or 50' and 52'. Blank 1 in the opposite end regions of its vertical bar 1" also comprises a second polygon 57 and a fourth polygon 59 which include flaps 83 and 85, respectively, each of which comprises a pentagon having a hinged base 87 or 87' defined by a transverse score or fold line.
The collapsible hollow structure is formed by placing adhesive on the surface of flaps 83 and 85 near the apogees 95, as shown by the stippling in FIG. 1, and folding the first, second, third and fourth polygons 25, 57, 27, and 59, respectively, on their respective scores as shown. The triangles 50 and 52 of first polygon 25 and the triangles 50' and 52' of the third polygon 27 are bonded to the surfaces of flaps 83 and 85, i.e., scores 51 and 53 and scores 51' and 53' lie adjacent to the sides of polygons 57 and 59, intersecting apogees 95. When folded in this manner blank 1 resembles the construction depicted in FIG. 2.